Chapter 22 - Aboard the Waffle Seas (CitC)
A magnificient boat ploughed through the water, sunlight dazzling off it's silver hull. Windows lay along the side, affixed on top of portholes, with many different types of species looking out to the expanse of blue-green water from the rooms within. Goombas, Paratroopas, Toads, Beans and many more all seemed enamoured by the boat, from it's two tall towers that billowed steam, to the glowing silver hull, the pool on the deck, the captain's room high above it, and the various crew members, all of whom were Toads, swerving around the deck with platters filled with delicacies such as Spiny and Pokey stew (watch out for spikes!), Cluckboom wings with a touch of red pepper (spicy!), and Tanooba tails sprinkled with Nipper juices (a filling snack!). Unknown to both the crew and those aboard the boat, it was not the captain piloting the ship through the calm waters. Rather, when one scaled the steel steps to the captain's room, pushed aside the heavy white door with a porthole on top, they would find a rather red-eyed Toad with a green spotted cap, wearing clothes typical of a naval commander, his badge displayed proudly, holding the wheel, turning it rather jerkily and roughly, as if he was not acquainted with his body. Beside him, a yellow Boo floated, seemingly unconcerned with the captain's rather bleary state. "Meloetta, can't you control the ship better?" Skeloetta hissed toward the Toad. "Well, I'm sorry!" The Toad's voice came out, quite gruff and irritated. "I haven't possesed someone in a long time. And I haven't piloted a boat in a long time either." Skeloetta glanced out of the window in the front of the captain's room. "Why couldn't we have just walked on the boat normally and let the Captain pilot the ship? We'll never be in the Waffle Kingdom in a week at this rate." "That would've been a great plan, yes." The Toad shot back, rotating his head so that it was looking directly backwards at Skeloetta. Despite the abilities of possessing allowing a Boo to take a person's abilities beyond their normal level, it was still unnerving to see a Toad's head fully turned. "If only the captain didn't see two dead spirits entering the ship and fainting. If he wasn't so easy to possess because of a weak mind, we'd be in some trouble." There was a knock on the door. Skeloetta swore, and promptly turned invisible to look out the porthole. It was a Toad crew member. Meloetta ensured that the Toad's head was on straight before she said, in the Toad's voice, "come in!" The Toad stepped in, his blue spotted cap shaking. From the reactions they had got from prior crew members, the captain seemed like a very intimidating man. "Captain," the Toad began, every part of his body clearly wishing to be somewhere else. "First Mate Toadtio thinks that you're piloting pretty roughly. He's wondering if he can take over?" The Toad said the last part very fast, clearly expecting a negative reaction from the captain. Meloetta exchanged a glance with the corner of the room Skeloetta was in. While the Toad could not see Skeloetta, Meloetta could, being a Boo herself. Skeloetta waved her wings rapidly up and down, which was a gesture of approval among the Boos. "Yes." Meloetta said, "I am quite tired. I think I'm going to my quarters to lie down." Ignoring the look of clear surprise on the Toad's face, she walked past him awkwardly, being that the limbs seemed quite out of control, and to the back of the captain's room. Written in gold letters on a door leading into a sub-room with no windows, was the word "CAPTAIN." Pushing the door aside with a flaccid arm, Meloetta heard the telltale sign of Skeloetta going through the door behind her. Making sure the door was closed behind them, Meloetta groaned with relief. "I thought I'd never be free of this body." Making the body lie down on the comfortable looking bed adorned with red covers in the corner, there was a "pop!" sound as Meloetta appeared from the body, looking distinctly dishevelled. Behind her, the Toad closed his eyes and began to snore. "Let's try not and get caught by anymore Toads in the next week en route to the Waffle Kingdom, shall we?" Skeloetta asked, and with that, the two sisters disappeared. * Darius walked alone on the paths and the sidewalks of Mushroom City. Lukki and his argument continued until they reached the ground, until, at Pipe Land, when Parin and Lukki decided to go to one of the southeast cities such as Decalburg for information on where Tubba and the rest of the battlers. Darius, however, left them both in a huff, and picked a pipe that would take him a port city, where he would board the nearest boat to Rogueport and fly back to the Glitz Pit. While he was slightly concerned with the reaction he would get from Chubba, he knew it would be much better than risking his neck for a dead friend. Darius was in the least danger of Parin, Lukki and himself, being that only Parin and Lukki had been seen fleeing the battle of Gusty Gulch. Being small, Darius had been basically irrelevant. As he strode along the largest city in the Mushroom Kingdom he was looking for his boat, unconcerned with having to hide himself, as Lukki and Parin no doubt would have to in Decalburg. Mushroom City was a very advanced city, with towering skyscrapers and flashing lights: the Mushroom Kingdom had considered making it the capital for many years, the only downside was geography. As a port city, it was isolated on the very west side of the Kingdom, incredibly close to Sarasaland, leaving it vulnerable to attack should Sarasaland wish to declare independence from the Mushroom Kingdom. But Darius didn't care about geography. He had bought himself a ticket to Rogueport, now all he needed to do was locate the boat. It was going to leave in an hour, and he would be on it, sailing for a week back to Rogueport. As it happened, he was striding to where he believed the boats to be when he was crashed into by a very long-nosed bandit. "Watch where you're going!" Darius snarled; the last thing he needed was some low-life interrupting his trip back to Rogueport. As he stopped, he took in the bandit's eccentric appearance. The eyes were hollow and sunken, the nose was protruding out so that the mask was cracking, revealing tiny glimpses of silver, a red cloak was draped over the bandit's back, clashing magnificently with lime-green robes that seemed far too small for a normal-sized bandit. "Darius!" The bandit exclaimed, looking around worriedly afterwards. "It's us!" Darius looked confusedly at the bandit. He had never seen this bandit before in his life. Yet... the long nose, the sunken eyes all seemed familiar. His question was answered when the bandit took his mask off, and an orange Ruff Puff appeared from underneath the red cloak. "Shazam! Aaron!" A shocked Darius said, louder than he intended to, earning suspicious glances from the Toads on either side. It was a busy sidewalk, so they hardly noticed that three very weird strangers standing aside. "What're you doing here?" He added quietly. "We came here looking to find a ticket back to Rogueport." Aaron began, but he was interrupted by Darius. "So did I. You guys had common sense and gave up on Tubba?" "Yes." Aaron began again, his hollow eyes flashing irritably. "But then we got news. Tubba was sighted around Nimbus Land a few weeks ago." "And then," Shazam continued, "we heard that the Koopa Kingdom had taken in three Clubbas." Darius was instantly hit by a pang of relief, and then regret. Tubba was ''alive. ''So he had split from Lukki and Parin for no reason. "So, while we're not wanted yet, we went under this guise of a bandit to get supplies. We're heading over to the Koopa Kingdom right now. I bet you anything those other two Clubbas are Clubbar and Gonzales." Aaron finished, floating up and down in excited loops. Shazam looked around Darius, as if expecting to see something else. "Weren't Lukki and Parin with you?" "Yes." The words stuck like a lump in Darius' throat, but he forced them out. "I left them. I gave up on Tubba and the rest, they didn't. I guess I owe them an apology when we meet up with them." Both Shazam and Aaron were silent, exchanging a glance. "If." Shazam said, correcting Darius.